Sujung Cho

Sujung Choi
Claflin University, South Carolina

Pianist Sujung Cho is a native of Korea, where she was an honor scholarship graduate at Ewha Womans University in Seoul. She holds her Master’s degree in Piano Performance and a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Piano Performance from the University of Cincinnati, College- Conservatory of Music. Both as a chamber musician and a collaborative pianist, Dr. Cho has appeared in internally and nationally acclaimed music competitions and festivals in the United States, Korea, China, and Germany. Dr. Cho joined the faculty of Claflin University in the Fall of 2011 and currently serves as Assistant Professor of Piano/Staff and Choir Accompanist.

Talk Title: Visions into the Past: A Comparative Analysis of Lisztian and Schubertian Influences in William Grant Still’s Three Visions

Three Visions, an original piano work by William Grant Still, has been largely forgotten by pianists, piano pedagogues and aficionados. This piece deserves universal recognition as mainstream piano repertoire due to its great artistry and sublime beauty. Composed as a suite for piano in 1935, Three Visions contains three movements entitled Dark Horse Man, Summerland and Radiant Pinnacle. As assumed from their titles, throughout the whole piece Still faces the intrinsic subject of divinity and human nature, especially the world of after death. Another remarkable characteristic is Still’s unique way of using innovative harmonies in a very sophisticated and subtle way. As Franz Schubert did in his piano works, Still also employs unexpected modulations – freely shifting major and minor modes and enharmonic tones between sharp and flat keys. Of course, Three Visions shares modernistic musical features which other works by his contemporary composers had, such as use of tone-clusters & complex cross-rhythm and percussive use of the piano.

In this lecture recital session, general characteristics, connection to other major classical composers, and innovative musical features will be discussed. Practical performance guide will be briefly mentioned, followed by a complete performance of Three Visions.